Addenbrooke’s Life hailed a success

An Addenbrooke’s initiative promoting staff health and wellbeing has been hailed an “example of excellent practice” in an NHS-wide review.

Addenbrooke’s Life has been praised in the NHS Staff Health and Wellbeing Review and highlighted as a case study for other hospitals to learn from. Addenbrooke’s Life offers a varied programme of physical and non-physical activities, social events and clubs for staff across the Cambridge University Hospitals site. Activities are free and organised with the aim of developing a healthy and happy workforce.

Bonnie Watson, Addenbrooke’s Life co-ordinator, said: “The NHS is all about improving health therefore we should not only be looking at our patients’ health but also that of our staff. Healthier, happier staff are more productive, motivated and therefore deliver better patient care. We value our staff and want them to stay working here, developing with us and knowing that they work for an organisation which values them.”

Addenbrooke’s Life includes specific health information events such as quarterly health testing days, which allow staff to have their body mass index (BMI), weight, waist circumference and blood pressure measured, and to receive one-to-one dietitian and exercise advice. Following the health testing days, a comprehensive six-week weight management programme for staff with a BMI of 27 or more was run, with topics including exercise, healthy eating, behavioural change and reading food labels.
The programme, which was set up last year, also offers a range of social activities including a staff poetry competition, five staff book clubs, a staff painting competition and a free fireworks night for staff and their families, patients and visitors.

Walk to Work

The NHS review, led by Dr Steve Boorman, was published on Monday 23 November. Dr Boorman believes that initiatives such as Addenbrooke’s Life will help reduce staff sickness and save the NHS as much as £555 million annually. 

The Government will provide an extra £6.5million to help health trusts implement the report.

Health Secretary Andy ­Burnham said: “The purpose of the NHS is to improve the health and ­wellbeing of the general public. We cannot be serious about this if we are not committed to improving the health of those that care for our population.”

An Addenbrooke’s Life health and wellbeing conference takes place on 25 January at the hospital. The event will offer other NHS organisations an opportunity to learn more about the successful programme and how to set up similar activities.

> Health and wellbeing in the workplace conference

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